1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a protective swimming pool cover, and more particularly, to an insulating swimming pool cover which includes a number of individual buoyant panels which are hinged together for easy installation from a folded, stacked storage position to a use position covering the pool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Swimming pool covers are commonly used when a pool is not being used to prevent contamination by debris and the like, to reduce water evaporation and loss of purifying chemicals, and to guard against unauthorized use or at least to advise the observer that the pool is closed to use.
While some swimming pool covers are custom made in one piece or are fabricated and require complicated lifting mechanisms, more conventionally plastic sheets are used. These sheets must be anchored or tied down along the top surface of the pool edge or deck Because the sheets are heavy, particularly as water collects on the top and are cumbersome, the process or removing and applying the sheets becomes so laborious and time consuming that the cover is usually only applied for off season protection or at best when the pool is closed down for an extended time
The plastic sheet or canvas cover also usually requires several people for removal or application. In an attempt to overcome these disadvantages, several reel type mechanisms are offered to "roll up" the pool cover. Unfortunately, these are expensive, and do not eliminate many other serious defects of this type of cover. For example, the covers are subject to becoming brittle and to tearing due to weathering conditions, and this is accentuated when a rolling mechanism applies tension to one end of the sheet. Furthermore, the use of a sheet cover does not address a particularly important aspect, namely, that of insulating the pool water from the atmosphere. It is well known and apparent that if the water surface of the pool is insulated during the cooler night portion of the day when there is a net heat loss to atmosphere, that less heat needs to be added to the water to establish a comfortable use temperature.
Insulating pool covers have been introduced in the past, and some of these have used a polystyrene or polyurethane foams. Furthermore, some of these insulating covers have been provided as a series of section or panels, but these have met with little success. Covers made up of a series of unconnected panels can be as time consuming to handle as a sheet cover. Lacing or joining panels together by an adhesive tape has also been commercially unsuccessful. The utility of a modular floating pool cover can only be realized when the cover can stand the rigor of daily or frequent application and removal.